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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

G. 1. PITTMAN. FIR-E mung.

No. 358,125; Patented-Feb. 22, 1887.,

INVENTOR W1 TNESSES: waa BY ATTORNEYS.

N, PETERS FhMtrLflhogmPhur. Washingiun. n.0,

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

O I. PITTMAN.

FIRE ESCAPE. No. 358,125. I B Patented Feb; 22, 1887.

jzya I IWITNESSES': I INYENTOR ATTORNEYS N PETERS. Plwl rlflhugraplmr.Washington, in;

Unrrno STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES IN GLIS PITTMAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE PITTMANFIRE ESCAPE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

Fl RE ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 358,125, dated February22, 1887.

Application filed July 2, 1886. Serial No. 206,918. (No model.)

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes, ofwhich the following is a specification.

The invention relates to fire escapes; and it consists in certainimprovements, hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in theclaims, on the fire-escape shown and described in Letters Patent of theUnited States, No. 297,843, issued to me April 29, 1884'.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is aside elevation of one form of fireescape embodying theinvention. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section of a detached portionthereof, hereinafter referred to,and Fig. 3 is a side elevation of aform of the escape adapted for family use.

In the drawings, A designates the rope upon which the descent from thewindow of abuilding may be made, the said rope being provided with ahook or claw, B, at its upper end, and thence extending downward to theearth. The suspensory sling for sustaining the person leaving thebuilding,and which is adapted to move on the rope A, consists of thehori- 3o zontal friction-block C, band D, and brake E.

The block 0 will preferably be of wood, and is provided with threevertical apertures, lettered, respectively, a, b, and a, through whichthe rope A is passed, the rope being first inserted downward through theaperture 6, and thence upward through the aperture a, from which it iscarried to and passed downward through the aperture 0, thence throughbrake E, as shown. The band D consists of a strap 40 or rope secured atits ends to the ends of the block 0, and being of sufficient length toform a loop of suitable size to permit a person to sit in it whiledescending on the rope A. Upon one side of the band D is applied thebrake E above mentioned, which, in the present instance, consists of theplate (1, having an aperture or recess, (2, and the lever f, pivotallysecured at its upper end between the ears h, and having aprojection, g,on its inner face adapted 5'0 to enter and bend the rope A into therecess 6 when the lever is folded toward the plate d,

as shown in Fig. 2. The rope A, after leaving the aperture 6 in thefriction-block 0, passes downward between the ears h, along the face ofthe plate d, and through the eye m at the lower end of said plate.

The escape shown in Fig. 3 is'similar in all essential respects to thatillustrated in Fig. 1, except that in the former abag orsack is providedat the lower end of the sling, andasupplemental rope, 12, applied to thefriction-block O, to be used for lowering the sack when occu pied bywomen, children, or invalids, and also for redrawing said block upwardover the rope A in position to permit the escape of additional 6occupants from the building. The supple-' mental return-rope it could beapplied to the friction-block of the escape shown in Fig. 1, if desired;but this would not be preferable in many instances, since the saidescape is in- 0 tended to have the simplest and most compact formpossible consistent with safety, in order that it may be carried in atravelers satchel without inconvenience.

\Vhen the escape is not in use, the frictionblock 0 will be permitted toremain adjacent to the hook B, and the rope A will be coiled into acompact bundle or roll. Upon an occasion arising for the use of theescape the hook B will be caught upon the upper inside window-casing, orother suitable holding means, and the roll of rope A thrown out of thewindow,whereupon the occupant of the room may pass one leg into thesling, at the same time closing the brake against the rope and safelylower himself to the ground. The speed of the descent may be regulatedat will by the degree of pressure applied to the brake, and this, com--bined with the friction created by the rope passing through theapertures a b c, renders 0 the escape entirely safe and effective, andadapts it for persons of varying weight.

The escape shown in Fig. 3 maybe put into condition for use in the samemanner as the simpler form illustrated in Fig. 1, except that in theformer the supplemental rope n will be permitted to remain in the roomin position to gradually unwind itself as the sling and bag are lowered.When the sling has reached the ground, the lower end of the rope A-maybe held by the person who has descended, while the remaining occupant,drawing on the rope n, returns the sling to the window in suitableposition to be used again.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. In a fire-escape, the horizontal frictionblock 0, the band D, securedat its ends to the ends of saidblock,and the hand-brake E, firmlyaffixed to one side of the band D, combined with the descent-rope A,passing through said block and brake, and provided with a holding meanson its upper end, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a fire-escape, the horizontal frictionblock 0, provided withvertical apertures a, b, and c, the band D, secured at its ends to theends of said block, and the hand-brake E, firmly affixed to one side 01'the band 1), c0mbined with the descent-rope A, passingthrough 20 saidapertures a b c and the brake E, substantially as and for the purposesset forth.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,this 26th day of June, A. D. 1886.

CHARLES INGLIS PITTMAN.

Witnesses:

CHAS. O. GILL, WILLIAM B. ELLIsoN.

